​One novel in two parts,Because three's a crowd...

If you pray to a little man made of wood, are you a good boy or a wicked sorcerer?

If you help an African streetkid, are you a decent fellow or a naïve foreigner?

If you tolerate the consequences of all this, are you a loyal wife or just a doormat?

Cultures clash and tempers fray in this colorful and humorous travelogue, which begins in dusty Kinshasa and ends in leafy Kingston-on-Thames. They think.

the story

When British journalist Frank Kean rescues twelve-year-old Dudu from trouble in Kinshasa, he triggers a chain of unimaginable events that will resonate from Congo to the UK. Streetwise young Dudu is a skilled survivor, nobody’s fool, and wary of any rules. Their unlikely alliance disintegrates slowly but surely, with profound consequences for Frank’s lonely wife and kids in London...

"I've been in the DRC for more than three years with UNICEF working on child issues, but reading this book has opened my eyes. The way Ormsby tackles the subject is unique. It reminds me of Faulkner. A real piece of literature, a real piece of art." Ndiaga Secke, Goma, Congo.

"A page-turner. A very believable cast of colourful characters on all sides of the frontline during the Congolese war, and some spot-on observations of UN peacekeeping – not always flattering. The story line may seem almost unbelievable to the uninitiated but I can vouch for the attention to detail and plausibility."David Smith (founding director of the UN's Radio Okapi network in DR Congo).

"A gripping tale. Mike Ormsby is to be congratulated for capturing the craziness and parallel realities of life in Congo, while maintaining the sense of fun that is key to survival for Congolese and ex-pats alike – no mean feat. Mike’s analysis of how evangelical churches have cast blame on children, to explain misery, is also spot on." Simon Lawson (former Country Director, Search for Common Ground, DR Congo).